Her Presence
by Toutoi Ookami
Summary: Crossoverguess. Something big is happening in the country of fire, and it's not just the Chunin exam. Who is she, the lady of prestige and power? And why does she affect the rookies so?
1. The Time

In the fire country, the village of Konohagakure was listless…

.x.

In the fever dreams of Rock Lee, the spirits were rising; crying… screaming… living. They rejoiced in the battles of blood spilt and honor binds.

Hyuuga Neji narrowed his eyes at the stars. The fates seemed to be dancing and the sky was alight with power. A prophecy was coming to pass, and Konohagakure was involved.

Tenten paused in the cleaning of her blades, the metal singing beneath her questing fingertips. Strength, the metal sang; strength and compassion.

Chouji smacked his lips and frowned as his dream of his utopia abruptly vanished; a serene forest was calling to him, whispering of promises kept and life abounding.

Ino sighed in her sleep, the dreams of rivalry and pain smoothing out into the dreams of flowery fields and whispering winds. But the winds tonight were more fervent, insisting on the life giver and the sacrifice.

Nara Shikamaru stopped his movement in his dreams, the shadows there not still as they should be. He paused to glance at it in wonder, the shadows were talking. They were not telling their usual secrets; no, this was of a growing presence and a coming to power.

Inuzuka Kiba sat up from his sleep, immediately into the waking world. The family pack was howling; telling of the creation birth and a balance of influence.

Aburame Shino barely showed emotion when his insects stilled their movements and seemed to pause in awe. They quickly returned to their excited state; buzzing about prophecies made and actions taken.

Hinata Hyuuga's brow creased in her meditative stance, the serene flow of energy she had been coaxing was shifting abruptly into a chaotic but soothing mess; exulting in power revealed and spirit protected.

Uchiha Sasuke abruptly turned over in his sleep, dreams once plagued by ambitions and vengeance oddly stilled. A lilting voice echoed through the cavernous darkness, whispering of things to come and things that be.

Haruno Sakura twisted in her sleep, sweat beading on her brow with the exertion of her nightmare. Suddenly she stilled and a confused smile stretched her mouth; the mirrors were shining a message -A message of things finally coming to pass and strength coming at last.

Tsunade-hime, Jiraiya-sama, and Orochimaru all looked up from their posts- no matter where they were. A familiar power was commencing, and secret smiles played across their faces. Comfort, belief, power: this being was the one thing they all respected. This being was something they could never achieve.

.x.

One Uzumaki Naruto sat up in his bed. The night had stilled and the air was humming. Uzumaki walked out onto his porch, taking a deep breath and furrowing his brows in contemplation. The air was cool. A coolness that clung to his skin and moved through his bones making him shiver in anticipation. The air was abuzz with whispers and the forests and animals of the fire country were ablaze with tales. Something was coming.

.x.

… In the forest surrounding Konoha, before the gargantuan gates were even in view, a lone figure walked sedately and like the breeze left no trace of the passing. The moon guided the being along the path and a lively tune escaped shadowed lips. The whistling abruptly stopped as the form drew in a deep breath and turned its face into the breeze. A gusty sigh escaped the figure's mouth, "I'm back."


	2. The Arrival

A thanks goes to what few reviewers I had, as they made me feel guilty enough to post a second chapter (I was contemplating discontinuing the little reviewed thing and then BOOM! I got reviews) so here's to all you who took time out of your precious schedule (more reading to do, I know) and a special thanks to Blue Tajiri you made me laugh, I needed that. Enjoy and I hope it meets the standard of my last chapter.

* * *

The Chunin first examination went rather well, he supposed. That Uzumaki kid turned out to be a rather interesting character.  
Charisma-  
That's what he had. Exactly like his father did. Exactly what the Hokage needed to have. A blind man could see that Uzumaki Naruto would be great, he just needed support  
-And Competition.  
There was plenty of that in this Exam.  
Ibiki sighed as his mind wandered to the contestants and his feet wandered through the aisles. Absently he constructed a profile on each genin for the test he picked up.  
…The old contender from Konohagakure…still needed to study up on his basics.  
…The loud genin from Hidden Night in front of the blonde, he needed work on his stealth. Any one could hear him breathing when he was nervous.  
The profiles blended together before sorting themselves into the recesses of his mind. He would draw up the information for the Hokage when he left and cleared up. Yawning slightly he drew one hand back to rub his neck.  
As he continued at his lethargic pace his mind drifted to contemplate the power shift he felt last night. He smiled wistfully and he glanced at the sheet he had just picked up…and stopped short.  
'_Heh- so He's the kind of person who thinks he can pass the exam…with a completely blank answer sheet.'_ An amused smile found its way onto his face as he closed his eyes in mirth. _'Uzumaki Naruto…is a very intriguing young man.'  
_An abrupt shift in the energy beside him made him snap his eyes open. "I always have to wonder…what can bring a smile to a heart such as yours." The soft voice spoke out from his side. Slowly he turned to face her; he didn't grow angry at her words, she spoke out of compassion and sympathy- she understood that there was pain in his heart, not that it was all the stoic ninja his life had created.  
"You're back." It was a question and a statement in one.  
"I always return you of all should know this, Ibiki-kun."  
So Ibiki smiled and pointed out the interesting ones of the bunch.  
-and he saved the best for last.  
A sly look passed onto her face and she paused. "I know you… as you know me. Sometimes, I think we know each other too well. So I know that you know I love suspense, but I also know that you'll supposedly save the best for last for me. Let's end the suspense."  
Ibiki laughed as she drew out the test from the bottom of his prospect pile. Grinning as she looked into his face she glanced down at it. He smiled at her expressions as they passed: first shock and surprise, then curiosity and something-like-awe, and finally amusement.  
"Wha-?"  
"Uzumaki Naruto. I don't know if you were here for the procedure, but he is the container for Kyuubi."  
"Nine tails…" Her voice trailed off as her gaze drifted to the window.  
Drawing himself up to his full height he cut her thoughts short. It was a courtesy they'd developed over the years, never let one think too long of the past.  
"I'm sure you need to visit some others. I believe the whole of Konoha felt your coming, and certain individuals are expecting your arrival at their gate."  
She grinned and saluted Ibiki. Sighing softly as she brought herself into her usual semblance of calm, she softly tapped her fingers in a trail down the side of her face. "Oh you're no fun. The escorts, you know I hate."  
Ibiki grinned mischievously; "I enjoy watching you squirm under all those appreciating gazes." She gave him a sour look in reply. "Besides, the Sandaime should be the first to see you and if you just appear beside him people will start having conniptions."  
Her sour look melted into one of thoughtful contemplation before she brought her hands above her head and made one seal. Ibiki didn't move. She released her fingers with a vague whisper of breath he couldn't make out and drew her hands down her face. He didn't move. The air around her flashed with her chakra- he still didn't move. Her appearance had changed – he took a step toward her in surprise.  
"What did you do!"  
She smiled. "A few new things I've learned." She shook her head and the dark and heavy hood of her cloak shivered in response. Her entire body was covered with a dark shimmering cloak, and all Ibiki could make out were her hands when she brought them forward and the ends of her pants with the tips of her shoes.  
"Bu-"  
"Shush. Elders little ones shouldn't tease. Stand out I did you said; now I stand out for other reasons." She was back into her home dialect. "Besides, rather fond of this cloak I am."  
Ibiki sighed and laughed in one breath while shaking his head. "The world is a brighter place with you in it."  
She smiled gently. "Your praises are high to this undeserving one. But, thanks." She clapped her hands together and closed her eyes. "Okay though. How did that courting with fair lady go?"  
He growled playfully. "My wife and I are fine, just as we were the last time you were here. But I do see trouble on your horizon…"  
"Oh?"  
"Hokage felt your presence last night I'm sure…"  
"Darling, the whole of earth felt my presence last night I'm sure."  
He shrugged her off. "I sense two Anbu guards coming to escort you."  
"Anbu! What is he thinking?"  
Morino Ibiki grinned cattishly. "No doubt thinking that with Anbu you won't get sidetracked so easily." She had the grace to blush. "He does enjoy talking to one such as your infinite wisdom."  
"Morino I am having a talk with your wife later. Whose side she takes we'll see." She blew her bangs out of her face and concentrated on her next words. "I think I am going to have a nice long chat with that man." Ibiki smiled genially and studied her accent. When she traveled she fell into the ways that she grew up in, it made for oddly flowing sentences, but when she tried to speak as the locals did a sing-song accent appeared in her words.  
Rather neat, really.  
"How long do you think it will take you to get back into the swing of things?"  
She whistled lowly and flicked at an imagined speck of dust on her shoulder. "I've been away for about six years, and then that was only a two day visit….The time before that was a whole two years but that was about seventeen years ago before the Battle at Kikyou's Pass." She trailed off as she tapped her fingers to her chin; she was still moving her lips with silent phrases as she contemplated.  
He grinned and waved his hands in submission. "Not that it really matters." He took hold of her hands and rubbed his thumbs across the backs. "You're back in town and I do believe you'll be staying for a while."  
"Is that so?"  
"Oh yes, we'll just have to see who's side my wife takes on this!"  
She laughed and lowered her raised eyebrow. Her laughter stopped and she sighed as they both turned to the entrance doors.  
It was only a moment later when two masked Anbu entered the room and bowed curtly. Ibiki reflexively scrutinized them, there had been too many traitors reported in the ranks over the years for him to not…and it was ingrained into his very person.  
These two Anbu had a pretty good reputation if he recalled correctly. The crane and the tortoise are the masks they had graduated into because of their high level of skill. _'Plain romantic notions if you asked me.'  
_He sighed, but no one did. He gave the female a slight wave and grinned. "I'll tell my wife you're here visiting, then you'd better come over for a meal sometime."  
The anbu didn't show it, but Ibiki could tell they were shocked. _'Heh, it's not every day little upstarts realize that the infamous cold Morino actually had a life.'  
_Oh how the sky is falling.  
He watched her leave, the overall flow of her body undistinguishable beneath her dark cloak. But he knew; she was walking in that indefinable graceful movement where all her body seemed to flow as water.  
She had this weird way of moving, no not weird exactly, just ethereal. It was always fun to watch people watch her, but now the cloak covered her form and the Anbu didn't know what to make of her. He guessed they probably thought she looked like she was floating, certainly not the predatory lope of any normally trained ninja.  
Yes, things were going to get interesting in Konoha.

* * *

Chouji sighed as they walked away from the test building, he'd have thought he'd never have to return to the school. It always made him feel weak and vulnerable.  
Not that he could help it really.  
In school, until Shikamaru became his friend, he had been the underdog. It was hard to shake off that feeling when you associated it so well with a certain place.  
His shivering went unnoticed, thankfully. Everyone already thought that he was a coward; it wouldn't be good if they thought he was _still_ a coward after they'd been through the danger.  
God that man was scary.  
He came back to reality to scan the crowd that was slowly trickling out of the building. He and Shikamaru had paused to wait for Ino; she'd claimed that she needed to fix her makeup before they left.  
Sighing he watched as most of the other Konoha rookies emerged in one scattered group. Ino emerged with them, and by coincidence all the rookies from their town converged upon the sidewalk in relative peace.  
Chouji stuffed his face as he scanned the comrades slowly making their way through the streets. All ninja families lived in one general area- The outskirts.  
This wasn't some type of shunning- although Chouji had realized that those people shunned by society or overly secretive were usually in one certain area of the outskirts- and the outskirts were rather well kept and beautiful- Especially in the fall.  
It was actually a strategic maneuver by the founders. If all the ninja were living in homes that surrounded the village- who in their right mind would start a siege when all the willing and able were the closest to stop the conflict.  
Still it made for a long walk to the epicenter of the village, where everything important and sacred was kept between the ninja and the hokage.  
There was a slight scuffle that had him looking up from his bag of chips to see Kiba-san and his dog on the ground.  
There was a cloaked figure standing, and Chouji could_ feel_ the surprise radiating off the figure. Then a feminine voice cut through the air and a females hand reached down to help up the ninja. "Oh, are you alright?"  
Perhaps because he was knocked over by the small woman, perhaps because he was just in a foul mood, Kiba-san lashed out. "I'm just fine you old biddy." He growled out.  
Chouji noticed his dog was just sitting and staring at the woman- of course he noticed because thedog reminded him of food...another time perhaps.  
He could feel her displeasure now. "I was under the impression that the rookie nin of this village were exceedingly polite and courteous." He could see the hood fall to one side; her head had tilted on the neck he imagined to be as thin and graceful as her sole hand. "Maybe that includes only the customers?"  
Kiba snarled at her and stood up to charge.  
Two anbu materialized at her sides.Kiba stopped and her hand rose to stop the anbus rapid arming.  
The group had come to a standstill, and the previously angered females that had been ready to beat Kiba for his lack of manners were staring slack jawed at the obviously powerful person.  
The female laughed demurely. "They are still children, Anbu-san." Kiba and several others flushed hotly.  
"I'll show you a child!" Kiba growled out.  
Hinata stammered into their attentive gazes: "He doesn't mean that Lady."  
"He meant it if he so said it youngling."  
Sakura stepped forward her voice cutting into the tension and intensifying it like an old wound. "Are you a visitor in this village for the examination?" The curtness in her tone was unmistakable. If Chouji remembered correctly Haruno Sakura was always priding herself on her adult like intelligence and maturity.  
They could tell she had turned to face her, and even without seeing her eyes they recoiled slightly at the force of her gaze. It would seem that Haruno-san had angered her. "Uhn. I really have to talk to Hokage-sama. If you are through wasting my time with your petty…_inquiries_, I will take my leave."  
If Chouji knew one thing about the rookies, it was that they were an interesting if insecure bunch; and Uchiha Sasuke was one that hated to be brushed aside as an inconsequential.  
He took several angry steps forward with a fist outstretched. The female shifted her whole body to face him and the rookies waited with bated breath to see what the Uchiha would do.  
Oddly enough, it was Uzumaki Naruto that stopped him.  
His hand was holding the Uchihas wrist in a strong grip, Chouji could see his knuckles tuning white with the effort he was exerting. But his body remained strangely relaxed, and even when the Uchiha snapped a furious gaze to Naruto his eyes stayed their course on the woman.  
Chouji wasn't actually surprised. Naruto may have been stupid…no he _seemed_ stupid, but that was for the unimportant things. He understood the important things- to protect and to listen. Chouji remembered days long past when he would feel lonely- back before Shikamaru. Naruto would always approach him with that idiotic grin on his face and inquire as to his day.  
He never told.  
Naruto was his secret keeper. Who better to tell secrets to than a ninja who honored his word to the point of sanctity?  
Naruto had this sense, he always knew when he needed someone to talk to and he always knew when he just needed the quiet reassurance of a presence that wouldn't condemn.  
He guessed he understood the shunned….  
But his instincts were good, and it only made sense that they extended to every day situations. If his teammates were glaring at him for stopping THE Uchiha then they hadn't taken the time to learn about the mysterious Uzumaki now had they?  
If Naruto stopped someone from doing something, it usually meant he had good reason.  
"Can't you feel it?"  
His question gave them all pause, and Chouji could see Shikamaru narrowing his eyes at Naruto first and then the female.  
She laughed.  
Her hand came up and she pulled her hood down, revealing a pair of powerful eyes. Her hair and mouth was covered by a piece of cloth, the almost black material highlighted by the faint silver pattern of spider webs.  
Her eyes were dancing.  
"Powerful, you can hear them, can't you? They call to your blood and your power." Her eyes crinkled at the corners in a smile that reminded him strongly of his mother. She closed those orbs and tilted her head in admission to her own question. "I will enjoy getting to know such fine young adults as you."  
She turned and beckoned to the two silent Anbu guards, and Chouji repressed a shiver as she walked away. She was powerful.  
As their forms disappeared the silent group erupted with the cries of the few indignant. The silent ones, these were the ones who were listening, these were the ones who were watching.  
Hyuuga Neji, with his ever-watchful eyes, stalked the long gone trio with his unwavering gaze. He had kept silent and made no move to interfere during the meeting, and Chouji had to wonder what he thought of it all.  
Sakura-san turned on Naruto. "What were you thinking!" Her harsh cry didn't faze the blonde. Instead his gaze had turned inward, and the cloudy haze of his eyes stared back at the group and into nothing. "Naruto!" She got up in his face. "Sasuke was going to fight! You shouldn't have interfered!"  
His eyes didn't focus. His body turned to head out of town, his feet absently leading him somewhere as his gaze remained nowhere. "Can't you feel it?" His whisper came as he walked away.  
They watched him incredulously, _wondering at his sanity he bet._ He looked at his bag of chips, maybe he wouldn't bet; the only thing he had left was his food. He shrugged and happily munched, watching the drama unfold before him with a bemused expression on his usually lax features.  
Shikamaru leaned back against his raised arms, gazing coolly out at the assembled genin. Chouji could picture exactly what he was thinking, with a snicker he mumbled around a mouthful of chips with a grin, "How troublesome."  
Shikamaru gave him an amused glance before turning and assessing every reaction. It would seem that Shikamaru had noticed something odd; heaven only knows what he could pull out of his head when they needed it.  
He was crazy like that.  
Chouji nodded decisively and let his mind drift. Naruto was acting strange…well, not strange for him but acting like something was off about that woman.  
The only thing he could tell that set her apart from the rest was her bearing, she carried herself like nobility. And her age, her eyes spoke of age.  
He wondered how old she really was.  
'_She could be hiding her body because she's old and decrepit. Silly woman and their insecurities.'  
_He for one found age and injuries beautiful, reminding him that life is continuous and flowing no matter what happens to you.  
Huh, we'll see what tomorrow brings. If she's an important figure the Hokage will be showing her the village proper. 


	3. Respect

The Sandaime inhaled a breath of his pipe before puffing it out, his Anbu should have escorted her here by now. He sighed as he placed his pipe down; if anyone could get sidetracked even with Anbu escort he wouldn't be the one to put it past her.

That woman could accomplish anything.

So when she arrived in the room, only the energy shifting as her presence materialized from whatever jutsu she used, with a few minutes to spare he was surprised.

"Wha-?"

"Afraid I am that I lost your Anbu guards along the way somewhere." She shook her head in mirth. "To get here on time it was the only way. I'm delighted to find that your rookies are a spirited and promising bunch. I should have expected as much from the descendents of my people."

The hokage grew grim; for her to bring up her people meant she had news, and with the circumstances such as they were it was usually bad. So he takes a deep breath and steeples his fingers under his chin to listen.

"I found it."

He is still for a moment in shock.

Then: "Pardon?"

She chuckled, a musical sound like her accent and her voice. "I am afraid that I found it but it requires certain finesse."

He sat back heavily in his chair, not reprimanding her for all the informality she used. After all, you were supposed to respect your elders.

"Finesse I don't have apparently?"

He watched her eyes lit up with mischief. "Oh- of course not. Team effort is what this needs. Unless you have what I hope you do. Trained have you?"

The Sandaime smiled and chuckled. "Yes I have. When you told me that the jutsus you were starting to uncover were out of my area of expertise… I decided to make it my area of expertise."

She nodded her head forcefully once. "Good. The man subtly scorned becomes the man who achieves the skills." The hokage laughed weakly as he noted the way her eyes crinkled into that all knowing grin she usually wore.

Then he paused; "Why in the world are you wearing that scarf?"

Her laughter filled the room, joyous and free and _there_. As she unwound the cloth from her head and neck she was still trilling out small giggles. "Ibiki-kun told me I stood out more than I needed to, and I told him that I would stand out for different reasons."

Hokage smirked. "Leave it to Ibiki to make you change the way you dress."

She glared and her cloak came off in a dramatic swirl of black and shadow. Her hair, bound up for her travels, was wound in loose hoops and twists, creating a rather elaborate do for any usual ninja or villager.

He sighed. "If any of the kunoichi see you now and find out you _are_ a ninja they'll go crazy."

She cocked one eyebrow before the slow grin came over her face. "I think they only believe I'm a diplomat or some other such thing." She turned to face the wall of portraits but her eyes slid to his in a reproving manner. "Not that they helped, those two anbu guards with me."

He grinned sheepishly. It always unnerved him when she chastised him; it was strangely reminiscent of his mother. "I didn't want you to get much sidetracked."

She snorted. "Selfish child you are. I ran into your rookies." The complete shift in topics left him floundering for a moment, but he recovered.

She did that to him a lot after all.

"Is that so?"

"Mhmm. Interesting bunch they are."

He groaned. "What happened?"

She tapped a finger to her chin as she paced sedately. Her one hand holding the elbow of her raised one, her gaze drifted absently to the ceiling. It was an act, he knew that. "Well, there was the rather rude boy who called me an old biddy, then the pink-haired chit who took a curt tone with me…haven't you taught them to respect their elders, or at least those important diplomats with political asylum?...and the last boy, he almost raised his fist to me! Honestly Sarutobi-kun, what _have_ you been teaching them? I know the females get their feminine training, but do the males get any diplomacy courses…and speaking of diplomacy and training…"

Sarutobi sighed wearily as his head slowly lowered to rest on his desk.

"…the females haven't incorporated it into their every day lives. I mean the boys! Good heavens and great depths of hell!" She paused to throw an impish smile at him before she continued her rant.

He caught it.

Thank Kami he caught it.

It meant she was only teasing him.

So he stopped her.

Not a very easy thing to do, so he had to have something equally startling to close her mouth yet not enough to kill her good mood. Kami knows she got into very few of those these years.

He sighed; the only way to do that was to bring up the tough subjects. So he did: "You found it."

She paused in her teasing rant, holding her position in surprise perhaps, before she turned to him and sighed. The vibrant energy seeped out of her posture, leaving it the rigid stance of a jaded ninja. She sat down then, not waiting for an invitation to do so, and she smiled offhandedly.

"I have."

"There is no doubt."

"No doubt at all."

He sighed and held out his hand. The scroll she gave him was small- deceptively so. For such an important document it wouldn't take a lot of work to pass over it as a simple food recipe or the like.

Slowly he checked the kanji; the writing was old and the ink was faded even as the scroll stayed firm and soft despite its yellowing of age. It had a preservation spell on it, he could tell as much. Way back when jutsu weren't as common true magic users spell caste to preserve the history of their villages and arts on these scrolls.

He could make out the spell work, the intricate weave of the powers that made this into a jutsu and not a simple witch's manipulation.

"Is this all?" This technique was surprisingly short…

"Only a release it is. They are usually short work. If they weren't then all the apprentices would have many accidents to tend to with and it would take a long time to clean up no?"

Sarutobi chuckled behind a raised hand, nodding his head in agreement. "Students do make their share of mistakes before they get the skills they will need for their path in life."

She gave him a wry glance and a twist of her lips before she snickered. Nodding her head she stood. "I must see to Morino-kun. I believe I've been volunteered for a dinner attendance."

Hokage laughed, standing to escort her to the door. His step faltered when his thoughts brought up a topic far-too sensitive. He continued determinedly. _'I'll let her settle in before I throw out the chum._' So he opened the door, he could see his two Anbu guards that he had stationed at his door jump in surprise at the female coming out.

So they hadn't felt her come in. She'd gotten better.

The guards continued to stare, and Sarutobi had to take a second confused glance at what they were looking at.

He laughed.

She was wearing her traditional outfit, a rather dated ensemble that made her stand out…in a good way. With her elaborate hair and the rich colors adorning her layered fighting outfit she looked like a vengeful god, Sarutobi could see why the need to stare possessed his guards.

She glanced briefly at them before bowing slightly to him; he bowed deeply in return and grinned under his hat. _'It was fun giving the Anbu a surprise every once in a while.'_

_.x._

The stars were going to stand out grandly tonight, of this Ibiki was sure. With her presence it would seem like the whole of nature would don celebratory colors and rejoice in her coming.

Ibiki smiled as she appeared beside him. He knew she'd come- just like she knew he'd be waiting.

She settled in beside him and he could faintly hear the soft rush of cloth against cloth. "Good to see you Kagome." She chuckled, it was another one of the things they'd learned to do over their time together- only address her by name in private.

"Hokage had a good laugh, my expense it was, due to you." She gave him a shrewd glance. "Where is this fair lady thou hast courted?"

Almost immediately after she finished speaking the distant call of his wife's soft voice broke into their conversation. The call to dinner was strong, as the ninja that had experienced hell always knew what it was like to miss a meal, or two, or three, or many.

She smiled wistfully with a dreamy glazed expression in her eyes. Ibiki couldn't figure out how such and earthly expression of desire turned her into a being of the ethereal planes. He shook his head.

"The best cooking your wife has."

They entered the kitchen and settled down. Dinner was a quiet affair. They were just a trio of old friends basking in each other's presence and enjoying a good solid meal like they couldn't get on the road.

Ibiki knew Kagome always appreciated the meals- though he never found out why.

He guessed that age did that to people.

With a chuckle he watched the two women in his life gather the dishes and leftover rice. They'd be making onigiri tomorrow that was for certain. It made for a very domestic picture, and Ibiki always had to wonder why Kagome enjoyed doing the household chores with his wife while she was visiting.

He shrugged. _No matter…_

Kagome approached him and he could hear the sounds of his wife settling into the couch to read. He turned to her and watched as she got distracted every few feet by a flowering plant his wife had taken the liberty to set. _'She always was so easily distracted….Maybe because she is so old, the smaller things catch her attention easier.'_

She chuckled, bringing him out of his musings into the real world.

"Think I do that you worked on your facade." Ibiki grinned. So she _had_ noticed, that was good- it meant that she was not slipping in her skills. And if this person wasn't slipping then she probably was growing.

Old Biddy.

"Ibiki-kun," she paused and took in a breath, "do you think that I could live here?"

Ibiki startled- causing her to look up at him with a vulnerable and chagrined expression. "I meant in Konoha, I wouldn't impose on you like that." Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. "I found what I was looking for, and I've given up on finding my family."

Morino Ibiki sat heavily onto the railing that lined the wood platform of his backyard. He studied her, looking for the nuances and lines that would belie her age. As usual he found none gracing the face that looked forever twenty one. She had never told him why she wasn't near her family, and she had never told him what she was searching for if not her family. And he had never asked.

She valued friends, and he could only surmise that she valued the close familial relationship just as much; for her to be away from them must be harsh for her, and she must have been wrought with guilt at unusual circumstance to keep her away from them.

But for her to give up on her treasured…

"You plan on staying here?"

She nodded her head, "Uhn, I believe I should reside amongst the clans of old." Her head tilted back to look at the stars, and he was struck by how_ small_ this woman creature was. With her head tilted back and her odd traditional style, she looked like one of those hime's from the past- just stepped out of the storybook and into their lives.

She had the ancient height of the ancestors, when everyone was short to maximize their speed and agility, and the set chin and strong fingers of the old clan warriors. One would think they were hallucinating when she wore her every day clothes then they couldn't dream of her formal attire, but he had seen it.

One picture, tucked away in the far recesses of the Hokage's library, had a strong warrior in the traditional formal kimono of her clans. She was the epitome of the kunoichi, and she had portrayed herself as such at that moment in the photograph. Ibiki remembered being startled at how fragile she looked, yet he could see the alert way she held her shoulders and the exposed kunai on her wrist.

She was the clans. The highest elder and the original councilor it had said beneath the stunning photo.

Heh. "The clans are your home, where you are most welcome should they know. You will do well to stay here and teach of the heritage you know." She smiled and exhaled a little breath out. "Besides," Ibiki smiled a Machiavellian grin, "I think you will have fun whipping our rookies into shape."

She laughed, throwing her head back and rejoicing to the stars. Nodding as she calmed down, the smile never left her face. "They need to be whipped into shape," her eyes saddened, "yet they are so young…."

Ibiki smiled gently. "They are young, but they are strong. They are Konoha."

She smiled.

His wife came out onto the porch, smiling gently at them and entering into their conversation as easily as if they had always been friends. It had not been so, as his wife had felt threatened by the younger looking female when they first met.

Ibiki had never found out what kind of jutsu she used to maintain her looks, as he couldn't even tell she was using her chakra with it on, but his wife had thought he was meeting with one of his younger coworkers for an affair.

The reactions they had to that little rumor were staggered; Kagome had looked shocked and her face had went through all the gradients before she had thrown her head back and laughed hysterically. Ibiki himself had been a little confused, until he heard the good-humor in the laughter and grinned at his wife before pulling her into a snug embrace. She had blushed and stammered when she was told the truth; that Kagome wouldn't even look at him in that way because of her age and the type of their relationship.

Ibiki smiled at the memory and drew his wife into the circle of his arms. Kagome smiled at them and turned her smiling face to the stars once again. He couldn't help but notice…though she was happy and smiling and content, the lone tear made its way down her cheek. And like he always did, and like she wished he would yet wished he wouldn't, he ignored her tears and gave her the privacy she sought and the time she craved.

One thing about her you would learn, her emotions were beautiful, but they were hers. To intrude upon her was like breaking the sanctity of the shrine graves, you would feel guilty and unworthy afterwards, and wouldn't know what to say or do.

It was out of respect that he and his wife left her to her memories and left her staring at the stars.

It was always out of respect.


	4. Passion

Rock Lee smiled exuberantly as he punched animatedly into the air at his imaginary partner. Deities, he loved that rush! Training would do that to him; give him a high that he could find no where else…except for when he looked at Sakura. Gods that woman made his blood sing.

It wasn't just her beauty, ooh no, Rock Lee could see it. Well, he could see her beauty too, but there was something much deeper than that. True, he admitted ruefully, she was a harsh and cruel woman to anyone other than Sasuke, and she had this little set of insecurities, but Lee knew. One day, she'd wake up, and he'd be there. Because that's where he would always stand.

Rock Lee smiled and finished his pattern, holding the end stance longer so he could feel the exhilarating strain on his muscles. Deities… he loved that too. The way his muscles obeyed, even as the stinging feel of exertion built up to tingle along his whole body.

Rock Lee broke his stance, paused with a deep held breath, and exhaled with an excited shiver.

A smile on his face, he made his way to the camp his team had set up. Once his training was over, he could focus on Sakura once again. His spirit called out to her, and he would never deny his spirit. It kept him strong; when he had found out that he had no ability to use his chakra due to some problems when his parents were murdered…his spirit kept him alive, kept him _wanting_ to stay alive.

His spirit attracted Gai-sensei to teach him the legendary technique of Konoha that became the forbidden taijutsu, and now he was considered one of the most adept genin – hopefully soon to be chunin – of Konohagakure. His spirit was a deity send and Rock Lee would show everyone that even with his setbacks, his spirit would help him show the world that working hard made for excellent ninjas too!

Rock Lee paused as he listened to the night in this strange forest. Tomorrow they would reach their destination, and he would get to see the lovely Sakura again! There had been that brief interlude of a meeting before he had been knocked out, and Lee could have sworn that he had gotten through to the pretty pink-haired girl before he had been incapacitated.

Rock Lee sighed.

Tenten glared at him as he entered from the break in the foliage, and Rock Lee smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. She was till kind of angry at him because he had gone and gotten himself hurt, interfering in another persons fight no less. She had this whole set of codes; obey the rules, never engage an enemy not your own, and follow Neji's every word.

Not that she was obsessed with his eternal rival. Nope. She just believed that he was the better fighter and mastermind…well he was a genius. Rock Lee sighed as he sat down close to their covert fire, covered on one side from others view by thick pieces of bark from the surrounding forest trees and on their side by tented dark cloth.

Tenten humph-ed at him and turned back to sharpening and caring for her blades; the sharp sound of it rang through his head, and he winced slightly as it agitated his wounded ear. Neji came out of their shelter, glancing quickly over at him before he returned to his normal stoic face and ignored their female team mate. Lee grinned insanely.

He knew that Neji grew irritated with females, especially if they were fighters, but he put up with Tenten. She was his team mate after all, and she was passable at her art. Lee shivered in excitement. Deities he loved training with her!

His team mates glanced at him askance when the grin lit up his face, he could feel it stretching his cheeks in the insane Gai-inspired flash of brilliance. He loved that too… _'They look so funny when they are trying to inch away from me.'_ Lee snickered and stretched out his arms, going into a self-induced haze of training and memories as his eyes blatantly glazed over. Tenten always made the best training partner…she wasn't an expert or genius, but she knew what she was doing and she was constantly thinking. She presented the best obstacle for him every time he upped his weights, and she always helped him increase his speed…not that she really guessed that he had a secret set of weights on him that not even Gai-sensei knew about.

He liked doing that, being able to surprise people; and he liked knowing that he had silently risen above the expectations that they had set for him. He nodded his head determinedly and struck his fist into the air in exultation

He fought the urge to laugh as he saw his teammates try to inch further away, and he jumped up to startle them even more. "I'm going to sleep! See you in the morning." And it was with exuberant jumping and a little made up jig that he made his way into his tent and closed the covering…but not before he had peeked out to see how far he had queered out his friends.

It was with a grin that he went to sleep and dreamed.

Kagome sighed as she walked around the village. So much had changed yet so much had stayed the same. There was still that little shop on the corner, but she was sure she saw a new owner just the other day with her Anbu escorts. The streets hadn't altered, they had remained as strong and prevailing as they had been in the founding of this village; but now the stones that had been so meticulously placed and cared for were worn and tired, and the buildings wrapped around the maze of stone had become crowded together as generations made to use up all the available space to the most efficient utilization.

She smiled gently as she saw a group of children running in a game of tag. The game had engulfed the whole of the streets and she watched as the children laughed and ran along the streets- avoiding her of course.

She grinned mischievously as she watched some of the villagers glance nervously at her. It always amused her to see people's reactions to her cloaked appearance. She caught herself from chuckling with a stunned expression.

She groaned.

Sesshoumaru was rubbing off on her.

She sighed and pulled her hood back off her hair, watching as the villagers tried to discreetly observe her. Her head turned up to the sun as she continued walking, until she bumped into one of the teachers from the ninja academy.

She groaned as she wobbled in her stance a bit before righting herself into a ready and wary stance. _'Just because your home you can't let your guard down.'_ This was the second person she had bumped into…well second person she had let bump into her.

She smiled slightly as she caught herself thinking of Konohagakure as home, and she only drew herself out of her thoughts to answer the frantic apologies of the school teacher. "Calm yourself and listen. My fault it is as well."

He glanced up at her in sheepish acceptance before he bowed slightly and motioned to her shopping bags. "I can help you carry those; it is mostly my fault for you were just standing there."

Kagome smiled and bowed in return. "Appreciate that…I thank you." She grinned as she caught herself. "I am staying at the guest house near Hokage tower, are you sure the walk you won't mind?" He shook his head and gestured with his now full arms for her to lead the way. "They call me Higure." She smiled at him and started her walk back to her flat, she had enough energy to shop some more, but it wouldn't do to impose on such a gentleman like that.

Iruka nodded his head at the lady's statement. "I'm Umino Iruka, a school teacher here for the shinobi." He watched the lady glance at him in curiosity and smile slightly as she shifted her cloak to her other arm.

"You enjoy teaching the children that you do?"

Umino laughed slightly at her question, enjoying the lilting way she spoke even as he noticed her trying to stop her somewhat broken speech. "Sometimes they give me holy terror, but they keep me on my toes and I love watching them grow up." Actually he wasn't supposed to be away from the testing grounds for the second examination, he had stepped out of his place and gotten another Chunin to fill his place as he rushed out to grab a packet of ramen.

But he had run into this important lady, and he could feel the enormity of her power practically oozing off of her presence. It _was_ his fault, no matter how much she disagreed with him, so he settled into the light conversation as he walked her to her flat.

It also didn't hurt that she was a very striking individual.

He hadn't seen her lost in thought until he had actually bumped into her, and he had been surprised that she actually stayed on her feet. He had been known to knock over even the sturdiest of ninjas in some of his clumsier moments. He felt the blush cross his cheeks pronounce his scar more so he turned his face away and in hiding his shame caught sight of the guest quarters.

Morino Ibiki was sitting on one of the benches but he stood when he spotted them. Iruka grinned sheepishly. Morino had been one of his teachers as a genin, and he always felt like he had messed up and pulled a prank under the unwavering gaze.

But his senpai's gaze was not at him, and Iruka was surprised – though he knew he shouldn't have been – to spot the smile stretching his mouth at the sight of the woman at his side. "Higurashi Kagome;_ you_ were shopping."

The lady beside him laughed, and Iruka heard none of it except that her full name was Higur-_ashi_. The woman had the same name that founders of this village revered and feared.

She 'tsk'-ed at the older jounin. "You should know better, Morino Ibiki, than to tease a shopping woman, me especially." She swung in the gate that kept normal civilians form the prestigious guest quarters and ushered him in. "Besides, I had to renew my bond with the town I did."

Iruka glanced uncertainly between these two ninjas, for he knew that's what they were. Only a fool would not know that Morino was the only ninja in the village trained in torture and interrogation with no jutsus involved, and only a fool wouldn't recognize the way this woman walked as strictly predatory.

Morino noticed his unease and took the packages to place them on the porch railing, "You may leave us Umino, I'm sure your post needs tending to." Iruka blushed as he saluted and set off to the testing grounds, hoping that he still had time to catch Naruto and wondering at the easy relationship he could see between his mentor and this lady of prestige.

"Kagome, where have I heard that before?" He let himself drift into memories as his feet took him on the trail he had memorized. The thoughts swirled around him as he too his post with a silent nod to his comrade.

Things like that could wait…right now he needed to do his job.

And he knew. A lady with that much power and influence…the hokage would be introducing her shortly. He would just have to wait.

…

I decided to post this until I had the time to review the timeline and decide whose pov (although I have a good idea who I want) I wanted to use. I'm sorry for the delay; too long even for lazy old me. So I will try to get out my anime without too much more delay; unless someone is fan enough to give me the timeline of major events (I have a rather bad memory and extreme lack of motivation else) I would be able to update faster, just generally mind you. Like the amount of time between tests, the order…then I would mostly break away from the rigid order of things to get Kagome in…but it would be appreciated.

Meanwhile I'll post a oneshot to hopefully keep you satisfied…just a short one mind you, I have to go out with my rents this weekend (joy…).

Rock Lee struck me as a very passionate guy…I just had a very difficult time writing like that (shrugs). Hope it isn't too OoC, but that's actually how I picture him.

Timeline info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.


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